Meet the Presenters

Headshot Photo Description:

A white man with short, sandy brown hair. He has a thin mustache and beard. He is smiling. He is wearing a black collared shirt with the orange letters RIT and white letters that read National Technical Institute for the Deaf Summer Transition Program.

Timothy "TJ"

Sanger II

Timothy “TJ” Sanger II is a Lecturer and Coordinator for Graduate Advising, Retention, and Engagement in the Master of Science in Deaf Education (MSDE) program within the Department of Deaf Education (DDE) at RIT/NTID. In this role, he teaches courses such as Educational Psychology with a Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) focus, Special Education in Social Context, Practicum, Language Acquisition & Learning, Sign Language in Instructional Delivery, and Professional Portfolio. He also directs the Summer Transition Program (STP), Summer Vestibule Program (SVP), and the Academic Support Center (HUB), fostering student success and engagement across the institute.

Previously, TJ served as Associate Director for Counseling and Academic Advising Services (CAAS) at NTID. Before returning to his alma mater, he spent a decade at Phoenix Day School for the Deaf (PDSD), where he held diverse roles including Vocational Services Specialist, High School Mathematics Teacher, School Counselor, Transition Teacher/Specialist, and advisor for Jr. NAD, Senior Class, and International Studies. In addition, TJ worked for four years in a mental health residential setting with Deaf clients experiencing severe language deprivation and delays, deepening his expertise in supporting individuals with complex communication and developmental needs.

TJ brings eight years of teaching experience to his current position. He holds a Master of Education in School Guidance and Counseling and a Master of Social Work. Trained as an ASL/English Bilingual Educator through Gallaudet University, he co-taught the ASL/English Bilingual Education Program at PDSD for two years. Now in his 11th year at RIT/NTID, TJ continues to advance Deaf education and bilingual pedagogy with a strong focus on language dysfluency, deprivation, and delay. His work is driven by a deep passion for ensuring that DHH students not only overcome barriers to language and learning but also thrive on their own unique journeys toward independence, self-advocacy, and lifelong success.

Headshot Photo Description:

A white man with short dark, graying hair. He has a mustache and beard and a big smile. He is wearing a maroon collared shirt with the letters RIT and NTID on the left shoulder.

Patrick Graham

Dr. Patrick Graham is a Full Professor and the Department Chair of the Deaf Education Program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He leads a national teacher-preparation program that trains future educators to work with deaf and hard-of-hearing students in schools across the United States and around the world. The program currently serves more than 80 students with a wide range of professional and educational backgrounds. Dr. Graham is bilingual in American Sign Language and English and has focused his career on improving access, equity, and high-quality teaching in Deaf Education.

Dr. Graham earned his PhD in Educational Theory and Practice from the University of Georgia. His doctoral research examined body language, cultural habitus, and teaching practices of Deaf educators in France, Japan, and the United States. He later took part in international education projects in France, Japan, Ghana, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and several U.S. regions. His research interests include language deprivation and language dysfluency, curriculum design, bilingual learning, and global Deaf education systems.

Throughout his career, Dr. Graham has gained experience supporting learners with language dysfluency and designing language strategies for Deaf students from early childhood through postsecondary education. He has co-edited several books on Deaf Education and has published widely on topics related to bilingual learning, cultural identity, and educational access. His work also focuses on how schools can better support students with diverse language and learning needs.

Dr. Graham has served in several national leadership roles. He is the past president of the Association of College Educators for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the American Society for Deaf Children. He currently serves on the board of the Conference of Educational Administrators for Schools and Programs for the Deaf. As a national and international presenter, he has given talks, trainings, and keynotes in more than fifteen countries. His work continues to center on improving teacher preparation, strengthening bilingual education, and expanding opportunities for Deaf learners everywhere.

Connecting and Sharing: Introducing ASL Dysfluency in Educational Settings

This workshop will be in two parts, Friday and Sunday, and will explore ASL dysfluency among Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, drawing on insights from Alaska’s educational interpreters, allowing for educational interpreters and professionals to connect. Sessions will highlight collaboration, shared experiences, and challenges in supporting language access and learning.

Friday's session provides a welcoming space for educational interpreters and professionals to connect.A brief overview and introduction on ASL Dysfluency will be presented. Participants will share experiences, build rapport, and establish a foundation for inclusive dialogue throughout the series. Sunday's session emphasizes community-building and mutual respect across diverse communication styles and lived experiences.

Educational Objectives:

Identify and define ASL dysfluency and it’s impact with Deaf and Deaf+ students in educational settings
Share experiences and perspectives to strengthen interpreter collaboration
Recognize the diversity of communication styles across Alaska’s Deaf and Deaf+ students
Develop strategies for fostering trust and inclusion in educational settings
Apply strategies from Sunday’s morning to Debrief Session on Sunday afternoon.

Understanding, Supporting, and Strengthening ASL Fluency in Educational Interpreting

This combined workshop provides an in-depth and practical exploration of ASL dysfluency and its impact on educational interpreting. The session begins with guided learning focused on understanding what ASL dysfluency looks like in real-world educational settings. Participants will analyze case studies, engage in discussions, and examine contributing factors such as language deprivation and additional disabilities. Building on this foundation, the workshop transitions into hands-on application, where participants practice implementing strategies to support both receptive and expressive ASL fluency. Through role-play, scenario work, and collaborative planning, interpreters will strengthen their skills in supporting students with varied language profiles while promoting equitable communication access across classroom environments.

Educational Objectives:
1. Explore manifestations of ASL dysfluency through case studies and guided discussion.
2. Expand knowledge of contributing factors including language deprivation, delayed exposure to ASL, and additional disabilities.
3. Discuss the educational implications of ASL dysfluency for interpretation accuracy, student engagement, and learning outcomes.
4. Reflect on interpreter roles in fostering access, reducing stigma, and supporting equitable communication for Deaf and Deaf+ students.
5. Apply ASL fluency-building strategies through role-play and scenario-based exercises.
6. mplement receptive language tools to strengthen comprehension of ASL.
7. Implement expressive language tools to model clear, accessible ASL for students in classroom settings.
8. Collaborate on solutions that encourage inclusion and promote effective interpreter–teacher partnerships.
9. Commit to ongoing advocacy and professional development tailored to the needs of Alaska’s diverse Deaf and Deaf+ learners.

Headshot Photo Description:

Susan is an older woman with white skin and blonde/gray hair. She is wearing a gra/ and black shirt. She has a big smile.

Dr. Susan Bashinski

Dr. Susan M. Bashinski is a Professor Emeritus of Special Education. She has more than 45 years of experience working with learners who experience multiple disabilities, including deaf-blindness. Throughout her career, Susan’s research interests and areas of expertise include early communication, gestural communication, and language development; augmentative communication; and cochlear implants for learners who experience low-incidence disabilities.

These interests are reflected in both Susan’s work as a former teacher educator and researcher and now, as a professional consultant. The body of Susan’s work is grounded in educational practice. She not only has a passion, but also believes a professional responsibility, to work diligently to try and translate research findings into effective everyday practice. Susan then attempts to help others learn these practices through the workshops she presents for families and professionals.

Susan has directed numerous federal and state grants in low-incidence disabilities and deaf-blindness. She has extensive experience in providing professional development and technical assistance nationally and internationally, particularly in the areas of augmentative and nonsymbolic communication for learners who have low-incidence disabilities, including deaf-blindness. In conjunction with the Alaska Special Education Service Agency (SESA) and the Alaska Deafblind Project, Susan provided three training webinars last year. Topics of these sessions included: basic features and modes of communication systems, essential “communication reminders,” authentic communication assessment with learners with deaf-blindness, and strategies for constructing nonsymbolic communication dictionaries.

An Introduction to the World of Learners Who Experience Deafblindness and the Interveners Who Support Them

During this session, the presenter will examine similarities and differences of congenital and adventitious deafblindness, as well as the most frequent causes of each type of DB. Discussion of the challenges children and youth with DB most commonly experience will follow, along with an examination of learners’ unique needs and characteristics. The presenter will explain the role of an “intervener,” then contrast this with the roles / responsibilities of other key personnel who typically are members of the educational team for a learner who experiences DB. Intervener training programs in the United States will be introduced. The impact of deafblindness on learning environments and processes is significant. Participants will learn essential considerations necessary regarding visual, auditory, and tactile aspects of learning environments, as well as engineering recommendations for best supporting learners’ needs in each of these domains.

Educational Objectives:

1. Provide an accurate, comprehensive definition of deafblindness

2. Explain the four major categories of deafblindness, along with at least one example etiology from each category

3. Engage in discussion regarding the general impact of deafblindness on development and environmental accessibility

4. Discuss learning as a process of information gathering, as well as the primary ways in which deafblindness impacts this process

5. Compare and contrast the primary role and responsibilities of an intervener with those of a interpreter, paraprofessional, and co-navigator

6. Describe a minimum of six factors that characterize the learning behaviors of children and youth who experience DB

7. Explain a minimum of three to five modifications that can be made to general learning environments to support learning by children and youth with DB

Establishing Meaningful Communication and Interactions with Learners Who Experience Deafblindness

Communication is most-often cited as the primary need of learners who experience deafblindness, as well as the singular major barrier to their learning and development. Communication will comprise the core of this session, with all topics relating to the facilitation of development of a successful communication system for each learner. The presenter will discuss the three major categories of communication system elements (i.e., vocal, aided, unaided) and exam the differentiating features and examples of each of these types. Participants will learn about multi-modal communication and essential “Communication Reminders” for interacting with learners who experience deafblindness. They will be encouraged to follow the child’s / young adult’s lead in selection of both the mode for presentation of communication content, as well as selection of the content itself. Suggestions will be provided regarding ways to effectively incorporate touch and movement in instructional experiences. Participants will engage in an activity to practice the hand-under-hand strategy, which is so critical to educational programs for learners who experience deafblindness. The session will conclude with discussions of the definitions and sequences of development for symbolization ability and communicative intentionality.

Educational Objectives:

1. List five / six most relevant facts re: the communication characteristics and needs of children and youth who experience DB

2. Explain each of the three primary modes of communication, and provide at least one example of each type

3. Provide an accurate, comprehensive definition of multi-modal communication

4. Explain the meaning and criticality of a minimum of six essential “Communication Reminders”

5. Identify the things it is most critical for family and educational team members to do when interacting with a child / young adult who experiences DB

6. Accurately demonstrate the hand-under-hand strategy for working with learners who experience deafblindness

7. Identify the key elements of the sequence through which symbolization ability develops

8. Discuss the general process of a learner’s development of the skill to communicate intentionally

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